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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · cell · lie · pound · root · last · lean · rock

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cell — a phone
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. root — of a word
  10. rock — music
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. last — final
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — the cause
  17. last — to go on
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — thin
  20. rock — a stone
  21. last — finally
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com